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Customer Reviews (7)

A paradigm shift for Assyriology?
"Ancient Mesopotamia" struck me as being a wake-up call to Assyriologists to get their act together regarding the study of Mesopotamia.In his preface and introduction, Oppenheim bewails the Western bias of Assyriology and its imminent fossilization if things didn't change.It seemed to me that the crux of Oppenheim's argument was that the field's emphasis on the humanities put undue focus on the surviving literary texts, which as he pointed out, make up only a tiny fraction of the cuneiform tablets that the ancients deemed worthy of collecting in their libraries.As a result, in our attempts to understand Mesopotamian culture, too much importance may have been placed on texts that were not even part of the "mainstream of tradition".Even if we ignore this difficulty, Oppenheim argued that using literary techniques to study these texts ignores the possibility that the tablets had an altogether different meaning for the ancient Mesopotamians than just "great literature".

Rather, Oppenheim suggested that Assyriologists should decipher tablets that would shed light on various cultural aspects such as the economy, trade, technology, and medicine.Doing this would lead to a more accurate impression of Mesopotamia in a way that the ancients themselves may have seen it.And this would also avoid the danger of Assyriology becoming a self-justifying field with only limited relevance to its namesake culture.

Although my review has focused on the author's views of his own field, most of the book itself deals with a broad survey of the culture and history of the Semitic-speaking peoples of Mesopotamia.After giving us his ideas at the beginning of the book on what the paradigm of Assyriology should be, Oppenheim proceeded to do a remarkable job of putting these ideas into practice in the rest of the book.Limited use is made of direct quotations from texts, since as the author put it, "Translated texts tend to speak more of the translator than their original message".Additionally, some of the author's thoughts on the Mesopotamians are different from others in the field.For example, in describing the Code of Hammurabi and other publicly displayed law codes, Oppenheim speculated that they were meant to serve as the king's acknowledgement of social injustice and his vision of how things should be.In other words, the law codes were meant to be statements of the king, not necessarily a collection of laws to be enforced.

I felt that "Ancient Mesopotamia" provides an excellent narrative of the history, culture, and religion of this civilization, and would be well-regarded by those who have an interest in this time and place.I am not an Assyriologist and I have only limited knowledge of the impact that Oppenheim may have had on the field, but I would also suggest that this book does a good job of marking the evolutionary development of Assyriology as it occurred up to the 1960's.

more racism whats next, white ppl come from a differ planet
This is just another sad attempt to put Euro-asia ahead of Africa.The reason why there are not a lot of artifacts which would show that mesopotamia is older than Eypt is the same reason why a few racist moronic (pretend) scholars would go out of their way to make up false claims.For the record, migration started from Africa to Euro-Asia and before then, Africa had already produced its pyramids in its mother country of Nubia, or Sudanic territory (black negroids), and its agriculture through out the continent.Come on ppl lets get beyond ones short comings, besides, there is more validation for hinduism coming from the iranian aryans.Who in turn receive their influences from the contact of African so called animist, which in fact is the belief that everything is the supreme source in a loop sequence of vibrating which is believe to be the only way the sun gods, rock gods, animal gods, human gods(neteru), etc., can exist.It was the greeks,iranian aryans who took this knowledge out of context, as they were the ones who were truly polytheistic in their beginning, as they treated there different gods as seperate beings who existed independant of one another.Hindu, and greek mythology went through a change once the invading Europeans were reeducated by the Egyptians, and Dravidians influences which in the beginning they were accused of being inferior civilizations with lame gods, but more likely it was just the ignorant outside view, as proved.Mesopotamians were a combination of African negroids (Sudanic-Nubians), Mediterranean Indo-Euro's, and pre-nomadic Arabs(the offspring of different ethnic groups).The teachings were concentrated around the African stories of civilization from beings of a different world which can be dated earlier in African stories throughout South Africa spreading up to the later north, east, and central migrations.The Ancient Africans claim to have gotten their knowledge about space-time, geometrics of objects, and consciousness being absolute, from these beings, inwhich the universe was said to exist psycho-physically, from a supreme being that was absolute conscious reality.Not all Africans societies receive the exact same knowledge so this is why it varies, other reasons were do to fueds domestically and abroad.There is no evidence that Mesopotamians invaded South Africa and brought there knowledge and stories with them of e.t visitors, but the migration from Africa to Euro-Asia supports the latter.The sad truth is the more that white racist try to seperate themselves from their source they will only reveal it more.

Classic Introduction
Georges Roux's outstanding book on ancient Iraq - which opens my eyes - seems amateurish compared to this one - probably the single best introduction to ancient Mesopotamia written in the English language.

Iraq's civilization is interesting for two reasons. From a purely archaeological/anthropological point of view, ancient Mesopotamia is by far the oldest civilization on this planet - even older than Egypt. The reasons why there's much less attention to it than to Egypt are the fact that there are so few monumental structures remaining there and the fact that Egypt is closer to the Graeoco-Roman civilization.

The other reason why Iraq's civilization is interesting is its potential importance IN THE FUTURE. With the war's outcome almost certain (truly it's like an Iron Age army crushing a Stone Age one), Iraq's long term prospects are quite good. Sitting on the second largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, Iraq has the potential to wield much influence, like Saudi Arabia.

Useful (but rather short) bibilography and glossary.

Oppenheim regrets not being able to make this book "twice the size of the present one." (p.334)I only regret that this book ISN'Tthree times as long.If this book isn't flying off the shelves, it should be. Get it before it's too late.

(Warning: This book does not include the Sumerian civilization, as the author makes explicit.For this subject you must turn to Sam N. Kramer.)

Lively, Insightful and Wide-Ranging
A. Leo Oppenheim's "Ancient Mesopotamia:Portrait of a Dead Civilization" is one lively read.It is not a chronologically arranged history, (you'll have to go to Georges Roux's "Ancient Iraq" for that), but it is an unusually comprehensive series of essays on aspects of ancient Mesopotamian civilization.After introducing Assyriology as a discipline,Oppenheim situates Mesopotamia geographically and culturally within the ancient world, and discusses its relations with and influence on its neighbors.From there he goes on to analyze the root forms of almost everything we know of as civilization: urbanism, political and social organization, religion, writing, literature, and scientific thought.Particularly interesting are the discussions on the care and feeding of the gods, ancient psychology, and the scribal subculture.Throughout the book, Oppenheim refers to historical and literary data of every sort in an even-handed way.A helpful chronology, glossary, notes, and index fill the final 100+ pages of the book.Illustrations and maps could be a little better, but that's small change in a book of this scope.Come visit the impossibly exotic, yet oddly accessible, past

A revolutionary view from a revolutionary scholar
Without any doubt, this book is one of the most comprehensive works on ancient Near Eastern cultures with its distinguished structure and unique style. Mr Oppenheim, a well-known Assyrologist of the sixties, provides us a brief but deep and highly detailed portrait of Ancient Mesopotamia, as the subtitle of the book suggests ("Portrait Of A Dead Civilization".) First, I have to inform the enthusiastic reader that this is not a book for "beginners" - it requires a background on ancient history and an acquaintance with Mesopotamian civilizations. But you don't have to be a specialist or a scholar to enjoy the unique taste of the book.

While Samuel Noah Kramer's works feed us with the Sumerian part of Mesopotamian culture, Oppenheim focuses the main axis on Babylonia and Assyria. The book is not a plain history textbook in a chronological order. Oppenheim presents the "portrait" under well-designed chapters with essential concepts: The first chapter of the book is an overview on Mesopotamia. Then in the second chapter, Oppenheim leads us to the depths of urbanism, social texture and economical facts of the region in ancient times. Chapter 3 deals with the difference of "historical sources" and "literature" in Mesopotamia, and presents two essays on Assyrian and Babylonian history. The next chapter is, about ancient Mesopotamians' relations with their "gods": Oppenheim discusses why a "Mesopotamian Religion" should not be written. (According to my opinion, this is one of the most important parts of the book which underlines the "revolutionary" nature of the work.) The last two chapters deal with "the writing" and "science" in Mesopotamia, respectively. J. A. Brinkman's "Mesopotamian Chronology of the Historical Period" is presented as an appendix at the end of the book.

Leo Oppenheim's "Ancient Mesopotamia" is definitely one of the most important sources for intellectuals interested with the subject. Note that it is not just a "reference work" but a "book with a soul". ... Read more

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Modern-day archaeological discoveries in the Near East continue to illuminate our understanding of the ancient world, including the many contributions made by the people of Mesopotamia to literature, art, government, and urban life The Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia describes the culture, history, and people of this land, as well as their struggle for survival and happiness, from about 3500 to 500 BCE. Mesopotamia was the home of a succession of glorious civilizations--Sumeria, Babylonia, and Assyria--which flourished together for more than three millennia. Sumerian mathematicians devised the sixty-minute hour that still rules our lives; Babylonian architects designed the famed Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; Assyrian kings and generals, in the name of imperialism, conducted some of the shrewdest military campaigns in recorded history. Readers will identify with the literary works of these civilizations, such as the Code of Hammurabi and the Epic of Gilgamesh, as they are carried across centuries to a period in time intimately entwined with the story of the Bible. Maps and line drawings provide examples of Mesopotamian geography, while other chapters present the Mesopotamian struggle to create civilized life in a fertile land racked by brutal conquest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

by its cover
I just spent about 10 minutes with this book in a store.I know the genre of "Travel Books to Ancient Lands", however, and I'd say that this book is worth its weight in gold!It's chock full of interesting tidbits on how the Sumerians lived in a very readable format.Academics should take notes -books like this will fly off the shelves!

It's very anthropological: It covers a very broad range of topics in Sumerian life.There was food, worship, travel, language, and other things.

Aside from their language and its writing system, this is the kind of information that I WANT in a book about a culture, a civilization.King Lists and Mythologies are fine (excellent in the original language) but give me the culmination of 150 years of digging and writing -I want to know what the run-of-the-mill man's work-a-day life was like, too.

This book is jam-packed with facts.If you can spare the money and you want to know how Sumerians lived their life, this is it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great, fun overview of the region from 3500 BC to 650 AD
Norman Bancroft Hunt's book "Historical Atlas of Ancient Mesopotamia" was a fun, photograph- and illustration-packed overview of all the civilizations in the area from the ancient Sumerian city-states of 3500 BC to the Sassanians who lasted till 650 AD.

The 190 page book has large glossy pages and is broken into 11 chapters, and each chapter is broken into many 4 to 6 subchapters, each one allowing 2 pages on a subject and loaded with great illustrations and well-written text.

Topics focus a little more on the interesting Sumerian city-states and civilizations that came afterward, but also highlight the Assyrians and Persians.

Great Historical Atlas!
The large format and full-color maps are spectacular, and the focus on archaeology and material culture is great.Covers a very large time period, making it a great companion for survey courses.

I love this book
I have a number of historical atlases.
I prefer larger books and this is a large sized book.

The book tries to cover a lot of time.From -6000 BC to 700 AD.
At present I am only half way through (around 700 BC).

The first part of the book covers the first settlements and the first cities well.You have a layout for each pre-eminent city of a particular time.So we see the first city layouts (from ruins) like Uruk and Lagash.Then later Babylon and Ashur.

We also see the 'big' picture of the way the cities are scattered about inthe area.One thing that could be better is the paths of the rivers - Tigris and Euphrates - at the different times.Unfortunately they do not know enough of where the rivers were at each period so most maps show the current paths.They do show the ancient coastline of the gulf.

They also cover the related nations to Mesopotamia.The Hittites in modern Turkey and the Egyptians are shown in the strategic maps.What they do not show is the movements of peoples.Like where the Hittites came from?they suggest a possible origin but they do not even have an arrow on the map to show these possibilities.

There are many photographs of artwork, sculpture, mosaics, some jewelry and many ruins of buildings and ziggurats.

I recently bought four other maps (Penguin): Ancient Rome, Ancient History , Medieval History and Ancient Civilizations.All of these were good but they were only 9" x 13".

This book is (guess) 14" x 20".I like bigger books.The type is larger too which means there is not a whole lot more information but will be easier to read for older people and those with glasses.

I really like this book. Compared with my other 18 or so historical atlases this is one of the top four in colour, size, and content.

I also think this information is more up-to-date than other atlases I have.Ex: Here the Hurrians and Mitanni shown to be the same people.

(Also has semi complete information on the Sumerian King List)

Enjoy

Ralph ... Read more

Product Description
CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PREHISTORIC TIMES. Prehistoric arch?ology--Prehistoric remains; their antiquity--Prehistoric science--The four ages.

THE ROUGH STONE AGE. Remains found in the gravels--The cave-men.

THE POLISHED STONE AGE. Lake-villages--Megalithic monuments.

THE BRONZE AGE. Bronze--Bronze objects.

THE IRON AGE. Iron--Iron weapons--Epochs of the Iron Age.

Conclusions: How the four ages are to be conceived; uncertainties; solved questions.

CHAPTER II

HISTORY AND THE DOCUMENTS. History--Legends--History in general--Great divisions of history--Ancient history--Modern history--The Middle Ages.

SOURCES FOR THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS. Books--Monuments--Inscriptions--Languages--Lacun?.

RACES AND PEOPLES. Anthropology--The races--Civilized peoples--Aryans and Semites.

CHAPTER III

THE EGYPTIANS. Egypt--The country--The Nile--Fertility of the soil--The accounts of Herodotus--Champollion--Egyptologists--Discoveries.

THE EGYPTIAN EMPIRE. Antiquity of the Egyptian people--Memphis and the pyramids--Egyptian civilization--Thebes--The Pharaoh--The subjects--Despotism--Isolation of the Egyptians.

RELIGION OF THE EGYPTIANS. The gods--Osiris--Ammon-r?--Gods with animal heads--Sacred animals--The bull Apis--Worship of the dead--Judgment of the soul--Mummies--Book of the Dead--The arts--Industry-- Architecture--Tombs--Temples--Sculpture--Painting--Literature-- Destinies of the Egyptian civilization.

CHAPTER IV

THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS. Chaldea--The land--The people--The cities.

THE ASSYRIANS--Assyria--Origins--Ancient accounts--Modern discoveries-- Inscriptions on bricks--Cuneiform writing--The Assyrian people--The king--Fall of the Assyrian Empire.

THE BABYLONIANS. The second Chaldean empire--Babylon--The Tower of Babylon.

CUSTOMS AND RELIGION. Customs--Religion--The gods--Astrology-- Sorcery--The sciences.

THE ARTS. Architecture--Palaces--Sculpture.

CHAPTER V

THE ARYANS OF INDIA. The Aryans--Aryan languages--The Aryan people.

PRIMITIVE RELIGION OF THE HINDOOS. The Aryans on the Indus--The Vedas--The gods--Indra--Agni--The cult--Worship of ancestors.

BRAHMANIC SOCIETY. The Hindoos on the Ganges--Castes--The Impure--The Brahmans--The new religion of Brahma--Transmigration of souls-- Character of this religion--The rites--Purity--Penances--The monks.

BUDDHISM. Buddha--Nirvana--Charity--Fraternity--Tolerance--Later history of Buddhism--Changes in Buddhism--Buddha transformed into a god--Mechanical prayer--Amelioration of manners.

CHAPTER VI

THE PERSIANS. The religion of Zoroaster--Iran--The Iranians-- Zoroaster--The Zend-Avesta--Ormuzd and Ahriman--Angels and demons-- Creatures of Ormuzd and Ahriman--The cult--Morality--Funerals-- Destiny of the soul--Character of Mazdeism.

THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. The Medes--The Persians--Cyrus--The inscription of Behistun--The Persian empire--The satrapies--Revenues of the empire--The Great King--Services rendered by the Persians--Susa and Persepolis--Persian architecture.

CHAPTER VII

THE PHOENICIANS. The Phoenician people--The land--The cities--Phoenician ruins--Organization of the Phoenician--Tyre--Carthage--Carthaginian army--The Carthaginians--The Phoenician religion.

PHOENICIAN COMMERCE. Occupations of the Phoenicians--Caravans--Marine commerce--Commodities--Secret kept by the Phoenicians--Colonies-- Influence of the Phoenicians--The alphabet.

CHAPTER VIII

THE HEBREWS. Origin of the Hebrew people--The Bible--The Hebrews--The patriarchs--The Israelites--The call of Moses--Israel in the desert--The Promised Land.

THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL. One God--The people of God--The covenant--The Ten Commandments--The Law--Religion constituted the Jewish people.

THE EMPIRE OF ISRAEL. The Judges--The Hangs--Jerusalem--The tabernacle--The temple.

THE PROPHETS. Disasters of Israel--Sentiments of the Israelites--The prophets--The new teaching--The Messiah.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE. Return to Jerusalem--The Jews--The synagogues-- Destruction of the te ... Read more

Product Description
The roots of our modern world lie in the civilization of Mesopotamia, which saw the development of the first urban society and the invention of writing. The cuneiform texts reveal the technological and social innovations of Sumer and Babylonia as surprisingly modern, and the influence of this fascinating culture was felt throughout the Near East. Early Mesopotamia gives an entirely new account, integrating the archaeology with historical data which until now have been largely scattered in specialist literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent, but dry.
This is a true scholarly work, exhaustively researched and written by a pre-eminent authority in the field, making it unfortunately very dull. Postgate is unquestionably a master, with a vast knowledge of his field. He leaves no stone unturned, and explores all the critical issues in Mesopotamian archaeology, complete with numerous citations from cuneiform texts. However, being a true academic, his writing is very dry and sometimes awkward, making it difficult to stay awake when reading. Postgate provides detailed information and insightful commentaries on all aspects of Mesopotamian life, making this a worthwhile read. One can't help but wonder however, if the Mesopotamians weren't somewhat more exciting than Postgate's writing makes them.

A 'must' for all serious students of ancient Mesopotamia.
Postgate has written an extremely helpful volume for students of ancient Near Eastern history and culture.It is a scholarly work yet quite readable.His emphasis upon geographical and environmental factors is refreshing and fills a needed gap at this level. Brief citations from contemporanious texts provide helpful illustrations along the way.Always conservative in his own estimation, Postgate provides a variety of alternative solutions to problems and questions raised by the evidence.He does not hesitate, however, to challenge prevailing views where the evidence suggests an alternative like the central role of the temple vs. the palace in this ancient economic setting.The book opens with a historical survey and moves on to provide an understanding of early Mesopotamian society up to the Old Babylonian period.This is a very fine volume. ... Read more

Product Description
This book, derived from the acclaimed Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages, describes the ancient languages of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Aksum, for the convenience of students and specialists working in that area. Each chapter of the work focuses on an individual language or, in some instances, a set of closely related varieties of a language. Providing a full descriptive presentation, each of these chapters examines the writing system(s), phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon of that language, and places the language within its proper linguistic and historical context. The volume brings together an international array of scholars, each a leading specialist in ancient language study. While designed primarily for scholars and students of linguistics, this work will prove invaluable to all whose studies take them into the realm of ancient language. ... Read more

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The ancient world of Mesopotamia (from Sumer to the subsequent division into Babylonia and Assyria) vividly comes alive in this portrayal of the time period from 3100 BCE to the fall of Assyria (612 BCE) and Babylon (539 BCE). Readers will discover fascinating details about the lives of these people taken from the ancients' own descriptions. Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-use reference contains a timeline and a historical overview to aid student research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

messing up basic terms
...very dissapointed to start reading the book of an "expert" by reading at the preface the phrase "with diverse ethnic groups occupying the region": what is an "ethnic" group in a pre-ethnic world?

kp
ph.d. student in pol. sciences & history

Wonderful, readable, brilliant, comprehensive.
Informative and engrossing. Well-organized and well-researched. The best book on Mesopotamia I've read! It definitely gets a lot more of the daily-life issues correct than others (which occasionally suggest citizens lived in large two-story houses--what a joke).

All books I've read, however, make the same error about the map pictured on the cover of an earlier version of this book--a circle with triangular shapes coming from it. This map is often mistakenly cited as partly being of Scandinavia, as it has been translated as "country where the sun has not been seen." An understandable mistake, but what it actually signifies is unknown country--no one has seen the sun there because no one from the known world at the time had explored it. A more comprehensive (intact) map would have shown that this symbol was only one part of the world, not the entire world.

I hope Ms. Nemet-Nejat accepts this bit of information in the spirit in which it is offered. :-)

Helpful addition to general ANE studies
Daily Life in Ancient Mesopotamia is an excellent volume and highly recommended for the general audience, especially those who are interested in learning more about ancient Near Eastern backgrounds. Chapters center on major areas of life and society, for example, society, scholarship, recreation, religion, economy, and etc. Nemet-Nejat is sensitive to both the diachronic and synchronic development of topics so discussion is quite well developed in each chapter. With such an arrangement, however, there is some repetition, though minor, throughout the book. The beginning historical review is very helpful, even if most brief, and sets the stage for the development of topics in each chapter. The author's strength is in the area of mathematics and technology and they get emphasis in the book. Less discussion is found on integrated matters like environmental issues. There is a wealth of material in this book and so much is covered it is a bit encyclopedic at times but, nevertheless, well done. This book will be of interest to students of ancient history or any seeking a greater appreciation of biblical background material. There are very limited reference to the Bible and some strange. Saul's change of mind (literally heart) is take by the author as "he went off his rocker," 81, an older and limited perspective, indeed. Karen Rhea Nemet-Nejat is conversant in many areas of ANE studies and balances her discussion with excerpts from ancient texts and relevant contemporary sources. The book would be enhanced by a better bibliography. The book is a welcome contribution to the field and will be a very informative to any who read it!

Excellent Overview of Ancient Mesopotamia
Nemet-Nejat has compiled a great deal of information into this book.Although the historical overview was a little long and dry, most of the book was very interesting. Nemet-Nejat quotes from a number of originalwritings of the ancient Mesopotamians, giving a unique view into thethinking and culture of this ancient civilization.

The insights intoeducation, religion, writing, and recreation were most interesting. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

From the birth of civilization to the demise of culture
This remarkably compact history of the region known as the cradle of civilization covers thousands of years of history in less than 200 easy-to-read pages.The book is weighted toward ancient history (Babylonia, Mesopotamia, etc.) but it also offers succinct chapters on the rise of Islam, the Middle Ages, the Ottoman period, as well as the founding of modern Iraq.The book ends with a meditation on Iraq's uncertain future.Highly recommended if you want a quick take on the history of one of the world's most important--and threatened--regions. ... Read more

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To understand the history of Mesopotamia, historians have had to rely on cuneiform texts which represent the oldest tradition of human history. The number and variety of texts written in cuneiform script are enormous, and present a unique source for the study of this ancient culture.

Clear and accessible, Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History explores the possibilities and challenges these sources offer. Marc Van De Mieroop considers the political, social, and economic conditions that these texts illuminate as well as the way historians have used these sources to validate their readings of particular historical events. Filled with examples taken from the entirety of Mesopotamian history, Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History offers readers insight into how we have come to learn about this fascinating chapter of the human past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book!
This is a great book for any ancient historian. The author does a thorough survey of the methodology of ancient history and the nature of history itself. He presents a point of view on why we study ancient near eastern history that is very thought provoking. You don't have to be an Assyriologist to appreciate this book.

Tour de Force
This is a fantastic survey of the problems (and joys) of writing histories of the ancient Near East. This book rewards both novices and scholars in the field! The author is obviously familiar with the most up to datescholarship in Assyriology. The treatment of issues relating tointellectual history and the role of women in antiquity are expeciallysatisfying. Accessible and brief, the editors of the series are to becommended for inlcuding this treatment of the cuneiform world! ... Read more

Product Description
This volume focuses on the period between the conquest of the Achaemenid empire by Alexander the Great and the advent of Islam, dominated in the central regions of the Near East by the Seleucid, the Parthian and the finally the Sasanian dynasties. Historiographically speaking, these periods have traditionally been dealt with by specialists in Classical archaeology, ancient history and late Antiquity. Much of the sense in which these periods represented a continuation of ancient Near Eastern traditions has thereby been lost. Many specialists in the 'late' periods have little awareness of scholarship on the very same regions and issues as dealt with by generations of scholars for the pre-Hellenistic Near East, while many students of the earlier periods fail to see that the processes and problems specific to the post-Hellenistic, pre-Islamic period in the region form part and parcel of the greater story of the ancient Near East through time.Brought together here are studies on the historical geography of Kerman and Khuzestan in the Seleucid period; the Greek and Parthian presence in Babylonia; popular religion and burial practice in Iran, Mesopotamia, and Arabia and the extent to which these do or do not reflect Zoroastrian orthodoxy; Roman, Parthian, Characene and Sasanian political influence, and its archaeological and iconographic manifestation, in the Arabian peninsula; and, Nestorian Christianity in eastern Arabia. These studies demonstrate how extraordinarily rich a field exists for the further investigation of Mesopotamia, Iran and Arabia in the later pre-Islamic era. ... Read more

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The great civilizations of the distant past never cease to impress us with their spectacular achievements. Ideas, writings, and works of art speak to us across tracts of time with an amazing freshness of imagination and workmanship. This book presents a vivid, multi-faceted portrait of these achievements, set within their historical context and embracing a global coverage, which includes ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China and Pre-Columbian America. The Ancient World is the most accessible guide yet produced to the spiritual, cultural, technological, and artistic innovation that was a hallmark of these complex and fascinating societies. Organized chronologically, the text places special emphasis on the evidence still remaining. Detailed coverage is given to symbols, sacred texts, religious ceremonies, gods and goddesses, visions of the cosmos, and sacred sites - from the temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings to the sweeping majesty of the Great Wall of China.Sample entries include: Sumer and Akkad - the first civilizations along the Indus Valley of Mesopotamia; Egypt - from the pre-dynastic 'Scorpion King' to the Old Kingdom Pyramid Age to the glories of the New Kingdom; Minoan/Mycenean civilization - the first city states; the legend of Atlantis; Roman Republic - rise of Rome; wars with Carthage; golden age of the Republic; Parthian Empire - the Hellenistic counterweight to Roman expansion in the East; Qin Dynasty - unification of China and beginning of Imperial China; Mahajanapadas - the 'Great Kingdoms' of India; Inca Empire, Machu Picchu, El Dorado. ... Read more

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Describes the enormous accomplishments of the Sumerians and Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia in every scientific area, a heritage which affects our own everyday lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Disresepctful and dismissive
We wanted very much to like this book -- it is, after all, about two of our favorite subjects (history and science)!

Sadly, we found that it was disrespectful of Mesopotamian accomplishments, deriding this ancient people for not thinking like modern people do.We gave up partway through, even thought the science was interesting, because the heavy layer of unwarranted judgement made the book unreadable for us.

I hope later cultures are treated more respectfully.

The photos are fantastic!
It is very short but contains a lot of interesting facts. As for that reviewer who complained about how short it is, while it could have been a bit longer, it is after all a book written for upper elementary and lower middle school students. I also think it would be a good book for someone who is learning English. One thing I found odd was that while there is a photo of an ancient Mesopotamian temple and a very detailed description of what is obviously a ziggurat the author never uses that word and it's not in the glossary. The ziggurat has come to be symbol of ancient Mesopotamia. He also doesn't mention the Tower of Babel which is Mesopotamia's most famous ziggurat.

Science in Ancient Mesopotamia (Paperback)
Science in Ancient Mesopotamia. Even thought, It is a short book. It shows that this civilization was ahead of any other civilization in science, medicine, math, etc. I would still recommend it.

I find it still helpful
Because there is so little covering Mesopotamia, I still find this book helpful even if it is not as good as the others in this series. It would be nice if more resources were written on the ancient Mesopotamian culture, especially considering what is happening today. Meanwhile, we will use what we can, including this book, in our homeschooling. We use all the books of this series, the 'Gilgamesh' series by Ludmila Zeman, "Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors-An Activity Guide (including Hittites, Nubians, Mesopotamians and Egyptians), and "Our Young Folks' Josephus" (primary history spine covering Israel and its relationship with the surrounding cultures of that time) in our homeschool. It works well for us.

Disappointing
The editorial review of this series from School Library Journal is wrong.The new editions of these books do not "expand greatly" on the original 1988 editions; they greatly contract.The 1988 edition of the books on Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia had eight chapters and 92 pages.This new edition gives them only only six chapters and 64 pages, and the word count per page is reduced. Indeed color pictures and illustrations were added and the glossary expanded, but the text is reduced to about two thirds of the original.Students are better off reading the original editions in the Watts "First Book" series. ... Read more

Product Description
Greek Myths and Mesopotamia investigates thenature and extent of Mesopotamian influence on Greek religiousmythological works.It shows how Mesopotamian ideas and motifs canincrease our understanding of, for instance, the Homeric hymns toApollo, Aphrodite or Athena, and of the works of Hesiod. This book isessential reading for scholars and students of ancient Greek and NearEastern religion and mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE CHTHONIC SOJOURN & THE ASCENT IN POWER
Penglase examines structural relationships between on the one hand the `Homeric' hymns from c.650BC (?) and Hesiod's `Theogony' and `Works & Days' from sometime in the eight century and on the other, the myths of Inanna-Ishtar, Dumuzi (Tammuz - as in the month in Arabic and Hebrew) and Ninurta-Ningirsu in the Mesopotamian tradition.

The book begins within a recounting of Inanna's descent into the underworld & the image of her clothes as power (SJK- common to the Gnostic and Hermetic traditions as well). Her condemnation to death by the Anunnaki represents the initial defeat motif and by means of her - seemingly, horizontal - ascent she gains netherworld powers. There is no discussion of her emergence onto the mythological scene or the fact that she (earlier (s)he) was probably a composite deity from various local versions.

Ekur (`kur' means `mountain') relates closely to Olympus but there is no attempt by Penglase to force Mesopotamia to be the origin of the Olympian gods - for Leto, Apollo, Artemis, Demeter & Persephone as well as the motif of Athena's birth and Zeus' journey for power, the relationship is only structurally derivative. The exception is Aphrodite who is probably a direct derivative of Ishtar.

In the Hymn to Apollo, both Apollo and his mother, Leto, perform journeys whilst Hera's role parallels that of Erishkegal. Again, the ascent sequence from within the earth follows the image of the searching mother goddess. There is an initial defeat which is later rectified and the complete journey results in the alternating ascent and descent of the deity with accompanying fertility effects. Apollo's struggles with Pytho and the river Telphousa are related to the Tiamat motif. But whilst Telphousa and Tiamat are both essentially animate, Asag and the kur are essentially inanimate. There isn't much of an attempt to develop this into a chronological modification. Common motifs include food, dressing, noise, radiance, & the return journey to the Assembly of the supreme deity.

The Hymn to Demeter is of particular interest because it is the first written evidence of the Mysteries of Eleusis but the literature of the time presents a very sombre view of the afterlife. Whilst there is plenty on the pomegranate motif there is no mention of the fact that it is a sacred symbol for both Tanit (as successor deity for Astarte and Asherah) and the Kore cults in Carthaginian Tunisia. The unwashed journey of Demeter parallels that of Dutter whilst the child gender issue which threatens to unwind Penglase's analysis is settled by both the kouros / Ploutos in one tradition and by the descent of Geshtinanna's descent in the other. The carrying away of a young person parallels Geshtinanna in the composition `Dumuzi's Dream' and both are accompanied by cosmic screaming. Pengalse rejects the oft-accepted rape thesis on the grounds that `poll'aekazomeni' demonstrates both sexual unwillingness on the part of the young girl and also Hades' forbearance. I remain less than 100% convinced although I don't rule out his interpretation. The Isis / Osiris myth from Egypt is argued to have come from the Persephone legend and not the other way around - this does make sense in spite of the fact that Isis was a clearly defined deity prior to 2500BC. The pig connection between Isis and Demeter is not discussed.

Of great interest is the issue of the drought image. It is argued that given the Greek environmental surroundings, the image of drought fits better with the risks of living in the Iraqi homelands of the Sumerians, Akkadians and Babylonians. But what is never asked is: `From whence did the Greeks come?' There isn't even any mention of the roles played by Zeus. Hera, Athena and Artemis in known Linear B texts from Pylos and Knossos. Admittedly any analysis is going to run in to problems given such limited religious material beyond 750BC.

Penglase roundly rejects the pan-IndoEuropeanist view of Aphrodite seeing her as part of a common development from Inanna-Ishtar with Astarte, and more controversially, Asherah. Common to both Ishtar and Aphrodite are the control of sexual desire (SJK - Ishtar was more deity of sex and violence than love and war), their original androgynous roots (SJK - Inanna was originally both the morning and evening star and both male and female although she is not alone amongst goddesses in having male traits. Interestingly, both Athar and Akkadian Ishtar are masculine in linguistic form), Ourania `the Queen of Heaven', the sacrifice of doves and sacred prostitution. In addition both have a shepherd lover. Strangely enough there is no mention of the shared embroidered girdle with intrinsic powers but Penglase is absolutely clear on ruling out Phoenician influences.

In the creation of Pandora, the first woman, it is the thought that comes from Zeus whilst the creative ability comes from Hephaistos and Athena. This parallels the roles of Enlil and Enki in the Mesopotamian creation myth. Notably, there is no actual female deity involvement in the Enuma Elish. Pandora's powers of attraction are argued to be - at least in part - resultant from the attire she wears.

Penglase's discussion of the birth of Athena is based on evidence from the Homeric Hymn to Athena and the Seventh Olympian Ode of Pindar and the differences from Mesopotamian ideas are seen as the result, not of misunderstanding, but rather of deliberate design. Hesiod is argued not to be presenting a fundamental new paradigm within Greek mythological thinking but rather acting as compiler and integrating Hittite material. Athena springs from Zeus' head but bear in mind here that the Greek word for `head' can also be read as `mountain peak'.

But surely there is also a connection with the overthrow of one order of deities by another? Penglase doesn't dwell on this, nor on the nature of pre-existing Akkadian religion prior to its Sumarianisation or even the issue of the Dorian `invasion' at the start of the Greek Dark Age. Nevertheless, a heavy-going read as it sometimes is, this book is time well invested.

great comparisons
Penglase is one of the leading experts on Greek and Mesopotamian mythology and any influence that may have occured between the two.He promotes what I would call "big theme" influences, not tiny details that stripeach culture of its own creativity.A bit confusing at times, it is wellworth the time of myth speicalists. ... Read more